Are All Vocations Equal?

[MissScripture]

Are all vocations equal or is one lower or higher than others?

[TeresaBenedicta]

IIa IIae, q. 189, a.10

The religious life is an objectively higher state of life.

[laetitia crucis]

This page provides a good bit to go along with TB's post: [url="http://www.domcentral.org/farrell/companion/comp320.htm"]A Companion to the Summa, Vol. III: CHAPTER XX -- THE FULLNESS LIFE (Q. 179-189)[/url]

[MissScripture]

Thank you. Some friends and I were having a discussion about it, and we weren't sure.

[Resurrexi]

"This doctrine of the excellence of virginity and of celibacy and of their superiority over the married state was, as We have already said, revealed by our Divine Redeemer and by the Apostle of the Gentiles; so too, it was solemnly defined as a dogma of divine faith by the holy council of Trent, and explained in the same way by all the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church." (Pope Pius XII, [i]Sacra Virginitas[/i], 32)

Edited June 4, 2010 by Resurrexi

[XIX]

Is the priesthood higher than the nunnery?

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='XIX' date='03 June 2010 - 11:14 PM' timestamp='1275621255' post='2123475']
Is the priesthood higher than the nunnery?
[/quote]

Yes, no priest no Mass.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='XIX' date='03 June 2010 - 11:14 PM' timestamp='1275621255' post='2123475']
Is the priesthood higher than the nunnery?
[/quote]



This reminds me of something that was said while I was in the convent.

Each year the Sisters' novitiate and Brothers' novitiate would be in an unspoken competition about who has more vocations. The Novice Master, who is also the novice Sisters' chaplain, said something along the lines of this very fitting comment at dinner one evening:

"No matter how many of you there are, even one priestly vocation can give us the Holy Mass."

Win.

Needless to say, that shut us up rather quickly! Hahaha!

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' date='04 June 2010 - 12:26 AM' timestamp='1275621992' post='2123483']
Yes, no priest no Mass.
[/quote]

Hm. I'm not sure about that. Religious life is the highest because is ordered toward Christian perfection. The priesthood is not inherently ordered toward Christian perfection. It is necessary, absolutely. But I don't think it's higher.

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' date='03 June 2010 - 11:38 PM' timestamp='1275622700' post='2123491']
Hm. I'm not sure about that. Religious life is the highest because is ordered toward Christian perfection. The priesthood is not inherently ordered toward Christian perfection. It is necessary, absolutely. But I don't think it's higher.
[/quote]

The Mass is the highest form of worship on earth, and without a Priest that cannot exist. The Priesthood is the highest vocation. It is not PC, but it's certainly correct.

Edited June 4, 2010 by KnightofChrist

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='KnightofChrist' date='04 June 2010 - 12:44 AM' timestamp='1275623080' post='2123493']
The Mass is the highest form of worship on earth, and without a Priest that cannot exist. It is not PC, but it's certainly correct.
[/quote]

Oh, I certainly don't disagree with your first statement here. But I don't think that [i]de facto[/i] makes it a higher state of life.

I mean, without the state of married life, there would be no pro-creation. That doesn't make it a higher state of life than the religious.

St. Thomas teaches that the religious state is higher because it is ordered completely toward Christian perfection of the soul through the practice of the evangelical counsels.

The priest, unless he is a religious, does not vow the evangelical counsels.

[sacredheartandbloodofjesus]

I was of the thought that religous life was a higher calling aswell but then I had certain people tell me that Vatican II stated that all vocations are equal... So this is not true?

Edited June 4, 2010 by sacredheartandbloodofjesus

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='sacredheartandbloodofjesus' date='04 June 2010 - 12:51 AM' timestamp='1275623508' post='2123496']
Ive had people tell me that Vatican II stated that all vocations are equal... So this is not true?
[/quote]

No, this is not true.

All vocations are not equal. Some vocations are objectively higher than others. This has been taught throughout the history of the Church.

There has been a move to emphasize that, subjectively, people are called to different vocations and the vocation that they are called to is most perfect for them.

[sacredheartandbloodofjesus]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' date='03 June 2010 - 10:53 PM' timestamp='1275623633' post='2123497']
No, this is not true.

All vocations are not equal. Some vocations are objectively higher than others. This has been taught throughout the history of the Church.

There has been a move to emphasize that, subjectively, people are called to different vocations and the vocation that they are called to is most perfect for them.
[/quote]

Thanks. The quote of Pope Pius XII really helps.

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' date='03 June 2010 - 11:50 PM' timestamp='1275623417' post='2123495']
Oh, I certainly don't disagree with your first statement here. But I don't think that [i]de facto[/i] makes it a higher state of life.

I mean, without the state of married life, there would be no pro-creation. That doesn't make it a higher state of life than the religious.

St. Thomas teaches that the religious state is higher because it is ordered completely toward Christian perfection of the soul through the practice of the evangelical counsels.

The priest, unless he is a religious, does not vow the evangelical counsels.
[/quote]

The Priest is in the person of Christ the Head, In Persona Christi Capitis, he is the Icon of Christ. And Christ is the High Priest of the Church. Only a Priest can be In Persona Christi Capitis, so it would seem that it is the highest vocation.